CEO of Pfizer Creates New Treatment Pill Projected to be Available by the End of 2021
The Pfizer pill is described as a “game-changer.”
- By Shereen Hashem
- Jun 03, 2021
An oral pill is expected to treat variants of COVID-19. The CEO of Pfizer announced that an antiviral treatment for the disease could be available to the public by the end of 2021.
A news article in the UK says Pfizer is currently conducting trials in the U.S. and Belgium, where adult volunteers are taking pills to help find a “cure” for COVID-19. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said “it is accurate” to say the company is “working on” such therapies. The company is actually testing two antivirals, one that is injected and one that is taken orally.
Bourla explained Pfizer is focusing on the oral option because it provides multiple advantages, including people not coming to the hospital. He described the oral antiviral pill as a “game changer.” He says the end of the year is a reasonable time frame for availability to the public, all depending on the success of the trials and FDA approval.
Although it’s still new, Pfizer announced the beginning of Phase 1 clinical trials of the drug - PF-07321332 - in late March. An article says it’s designed to work by stopping SARS-CoV-2 from replicating in the cell.
"Tackling the Covid-19 pandemic requires both prevention via vaccine and targeted treatment for those who contract the virus," said Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer's chief scientific officer, "Given the way that SARS-CoV-2 is mutating and the continued global impact of COVID-19, it appears likely that it will be critical to have access to therapeutic options both now and beyond the pandemic."
More than 296 million* COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the U.S. so far.
About the Author
Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.